


Cage Without a Key

by tnnyoh



Category: Hitman (Video Games)
Genre: 47 has a heart, 47 is obvlivious, Almost Kiss, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Diana won't admit she's in love with him, F/M, Frustration, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Intrigue, Mystery, References to Depression, References to Drugs, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Touching, diseven
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-06-15 20:17:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15420765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tnnyoh/pseuds/tnnyoh
Summary: A multimillionaire client, a shady business deal gone wrong, and a brutal murder opens up a whirlwind of adventure and intrigue for Diana and 47 as they trek across the United Kingdom to find the missing pieces to a puzzle left incomplete.





	1. Arrival at The Grand Hotel

**June, 2020**

**Thursday afternoon.**

_4_ 7 stared out the window as the rain poured down, it had been like this for days, the weather was on a hair trigger and it could go from perfectly sunny to a storm in a matter of seconds.  It was early morning and he was just getting ready for the day, that's when the call came.  
His phone buzzed on the table, the vibrations making an even louder sound against the wood, he picked it up and placed it close to his ear "Good afternoon Agent 47" Diana Burnwood's voice spoke from the other line "We have a contract for you."  
"I'm listening"  
"Our Client, Shadwell Burke has requested that these targets be taken out with the utmost sensitivity, as in if any of these kills rouse suspicion of foul play. Burke could lose his job"  
"Who is this man?" 47 asked, holding the phone between his shoulder and neck as he pulled out his suitcase from underneath the bed  
"Huh, surprising" Diana said "You never ask about the clients"  
"You always seem excited to talk about them, so I thought I would preemptively get through it so we can get down to business"  
Diana chuckled "Charming, 47,  Our client is a multimillionaire as one often is, he came into his riches when his father won a case against the state, the files don't say what for.  Burke has worked for various investment firms in the past, but he seems to have left that life behind and currently resides in Edinburgh as a professor at the local university."  
"The targets are located in The U.K as well?"  
"Yes, some of them are people he's worked closely with. Imagine taking a hit out on your own co-workers."  
"I don't need to imagine," He said, still trying to multitask by packing his suitcase and listening to the briefing.   
"Anyway," Diana said sheepishly "The targets are Professor Tristan Walters, a Welshman living in Edinburgh. He has stolen over ten thousand dollars from the university, unknown to anyone but Burke" 47 placed some of the tools he knew he would need gently into the suitcase, guns, poisons, lethal injections, fiber wire, ammo...  
"The next target, Nora Banks, She was charged and subsequently acquitted with a first-degree murder charge, it was bumped down to second and then it was thrown out of court completely. And, you'll love this.  The victim was Burke's son"  
"A personal touch, adds some drama. You're right, I do like that"  
She gave another little chuckle, "I knew you would.  Anyway, Nora has gone into hiding since being acquitted and she fears for her life. With good reason, I will send over the files with the photographs, but I must warn you, she changes her appearance often to blend in with her surroundings, so it may be difficult to find her."  
"I have some experience with that.  She's in The United Kingdom as well?"  
"She is, and here's the kicker, she has no idea that Burke works in Edinburgh. The two had known each other from when they lived in Scotland previously, they worked together on a small charity project that was supposed to raise money to bring food to third world countries, but, and this is another reason he has taken out a contract on her, she stole the money and used it to change her name and move to the U.K."  
"Was this before or after she killed his son?"  
"Files don't say, but it could be assumed she used the money to move house once she was found out."  
"Are we finished?"  
"Quite, I'll have a car pick you up for the airport, you'll be flying directly to the United Kingdom. I must say I'm a bit jealous about this location. I used to attend school in Edinburgh.  One more question, 47"  
"Yes?"  
"Can you do a British accent?"  
"If the job requires it, then yes, I can."  
"Well then, I'll leave you to prepare, and 47?"  
"Yes, Diana?"  
"Good luck" 

                                                                                                                                               * * * * *

  
He arrived at the Edinburgh Airport by nine that night, He was told a car would come to pick him up and the moment he stepped off the plane his cell phone rang. "Diana here, the car is going to be a little late. I've received word the driver was involved in an accident"  
"Can I simply walk from here?" He asked, looking around the airport at the various lights in the distance  
"I suppose if you have a strong desire to pass out in the street. Why so impatient? The ICA is sending another car right away."  
He made a slight grunt to confirm he understood and was set to hang up the call when she spoke again "Tomorrow morning when you awake, we will begin the briefing. Be ready, 47"  
"I am always," He said before the call cut out.  He didn't have to wait long before the car sent for him parked on the side of the road "Mr. Rieper?" The driver asked, 47 nodded and picked up the rolling luggage and his briefcase as the driver got out to open the trunk, he took the luggage and almost dropped it "Jeez, this is heavy, How strong are you?"  
"Strong enough" 47 replied, watching the man struggle to get the luggage into the trunk of the car.   
"Ah, finally." The man said as he heaved the luggage into the trunk "Would you like me to take your briefcase sir?"  
"If it is fine with you, I'll keep it in the back seat with me"  
"Alright, I've been informed that your destination is The Mercure hotel on Prices Street." He swung around to the side and opened the door for 47 who sat down in the back seat, staring straight ahead with his briefcase beside him and his hands folded neatly in his lap.  The driver got behind the wheel and closed the doors, looking back at his passenger "I've been instructed to give you this, Sir" He said, offering an envelope with his alias written on it in a fancy scrawl that he recognized as Diana's  
"Thank you," He said to the man as the car started and they made their way to the hotel.  47 pushed the button to make the divider screen go up so he could have some privacy from the driver and opened the envelope.  A note fell out first, which read "Included are the papers of the identity you are assuming for your infiltration of the university. You are to be a teacher's aide coming from the United States and are here to assist in any way you can. I must stress that you have to play the part quite well, which is why I've included a history rap sheet of your travels and teaching experience.  They will ask you about your travels to the southern united states, South Africa, The Ukraine, Romania"  
"Funny, Diana," He said aloud with a slight shake of his head as he read on  
"Secrecy, as always is the utmost importance. If say, you knock a man out by chucking a wrench at his head. Please hide not only the body but the wrench in question."  
47 folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope without finishing it, Diana had a habit of reminding him each mission of the things he had instilled in him from the moment he started working with the ICA. Things he was unlikely to forget.  He looked over the forged papers claiming his profession of teacher's aide and various locations that he had been to. Though many of those locations he had actually been to, so it wasn't all a fabrication.  
The car came to a stop in front of the hotel and 47 stepped out. The driver helped him get the luggage stored in the trunk as one of the hotel bellhops introduced themselves "Hello, would you like me to carry your luggage, Sir?"  
47 shook his head "No, I can manage on my own"  
"Suit yourself, Sir," The man said cheerfully, then he looked over 47 "It looks like you already have"  
47 ignored the man and bid the driver farewell, picking up his briefcase and luggage he made his way to the front desk where he checked in under one of his many aliases, they showed him to his room, a large room on the fourth floor. It was large enough to have two bathrooms on each side of the room, he left his luggage at the foot of his bed and opened the briefcase to go over the files Diana had sent regarding the case once more.  He liked to be throughout.  
Tomorrow he would head to the university and get started on the contract. But for now, it was time for rest.  
  
                                                                                                                                           * * * * *

  
"Now be careful, 47. Security here is tight after an incident with verbal threats lobbed at one of the other students"  Diana's voice said through the comm unit in his ear, he was preparing by checking his papers again and looking over his guns, Diana had informed him that he should leave them where they are, as a professor's aide with weapons was rather suspicious.  He didn't need them for every contract, but he did like to have them.  
"I'm always careful"  
"Yes, I know that better than anyone but it's always good to remind you"  There was a lightness to her voice as if she were teasing him.  He had become quite accustomed to the way Diana spoke to him, even though others believed it to be rather unprofessional to speak to your charge the way Diana has spoken to him in the past, he didn't consider it unprofessional. He was comfortable with her.   
"I'm interested in what the plan is here, 47," She said  
"When I get onto the grounds I'll take a look around, case the place, figure out where all the exits are, where the security is, the cameras.  And I need to find good distractions if things get out of hand"  
"And remember to stick by your persona" She reminded him, the same gentle tone as before.  
"Of course, I have done this before."  
"Quite right. Do you have an outfit that looks....passable for a teacher's job?"  
"I'd have to check my wardrobe" He bent over to pull his luggage out from under the bed, which was the place he always stored it at local establishments.  
"Now I don't understand why you chose a motel over the safe-house that the ICA has in your location"  
"I don't care where I am, as long as I get the job done" He unzipped the luggage and started searching through it.  He brought a good amount of clothing, anything else he could acquire through other means.  
"And that's what makes you our best agent"  
He grunted in response and pulled out a grey blazer "I think this would look good, professional, I need to find a white shirt to go with this"  
"47, I couldn't help but notice in your bag, you have a preacher's outfit. When exactly does that come in handy?"  
He pulled the outfit from his luggage and smoothed it on the bed "It has on a couple of occasions. Most notably, Chicago"  47 remembered the events leading up to his infiltration of the Rosewood Orphanage, he remembered the mess that Edward Wade and his men left behind, piles of bodies and rivers of blood.   
"You know, you've never spoken much about those events, in Chicago. I mean" She said, 47 put the preacher's outfit aside and searched for a button-down shirt he could wear with his blazer.   
"There is no need. What is past, is past"  There it was, he pulled out an off-white shirt with a collar and set it out on the mattress  
"Well I suppose that's true, and in any case, I don't think it brings to mind good memories"  
"Quite the opposite" He needed pants, what slacks would go well with this outfit he had constructed for himself? He stood with his hands on his hips, studying the outfit so far.  It was a little wrinkled on the mattress, he supposed he could fix it by smoothing it out once he was wearing it.  
"Victoria had told me something interesting when she was still in my care." Diana said, she was more a fan of casual conversation than he was, but he let her speak regardless "She told me that she knew you had rented an apartment across the street from the old orphanage. She said she felt safer that way, but she watched the apartment from time to time. On quiet nights she said she heard sounds, falls, sounds of broken glass."  
He found a pair of slim black slacks in his luggage and set them out on the bed next to his other clothes.  He started to loosen his red tie, he would change it for a less conspicuous one when he had the rest of new outfit on.   Diana, aware of him not responding, continued on.  
"47, you never did tell me what went on in that apartment." This was in the form of a question, Diana wanted a response.  But he didn't know what to say, so he didn't speak.  He simply undid the buttons on his shirt and removed it, gently folding it on the bed.  The spinning fan he had set up in the corner was blowing a gentle breeze against his skin, It wasn't unbearably hot, though it was summer. The weather was overcast, the promise of rain.  
"Diana, these events have been nearly seven years past. Why is it important for you to know something like this?"  
"Because I consider you a friend, and I... know that you went through a lot of trouble in those days. Because of me."  
"Do you have regrets?" He asked, removing the belt from the slacks he was wearing and pulling them off. Again folding them neatly on the bed, he looked at the belt and wondered if he should wear it with his new outfit, or find one that fit the theme better.  
"Of course I have regrets, I had... no right to ask you to risk yourself for my cause. Do... you, have regret... that is."  
"Regret" He repeated "As if there was only one thing to regret, one moment. There are times that I think about it, If It's too quiet, if I'm alone, I think about the moment I choose to shoot you. The moment I watched you bleed out on the floor of that bathroom."  
"But you were right, of course. You told me that I still had a chance."  
"If you had medical attention right away, but I left you there. I walked away, you must be aware that I convinced myself I left you to die. This is what I thought.  This is what drove me to my grief, alcohol, pills, self-harm.  That was my life without you."  
Diana remained silent for several moments, 47 finished getting dressed and he found a nice black tie to go with the outfit, opting to keep the belt from his former look.  
"But it doesn't matter anymore," He said "The ICA is better than ever, stronger, the corruption weeded out.  We are Agent and Handler again, and I know very much that you are alive. Which I am grateful for.  Victoria had already been saved, Dexter was out of the picture. When I learned of your survival, I knew that the only thing that mattered was seeing you again. "  
"Which is why you spied on me from across my apartment for several months after finding out I was alive. You know, you could have come to say hello." She said, a hint of teasing in her voice  
"I...never considered that," He said earnestly "I had thought all that time, that you wouldn't want to see me. I kept my distance. I wanted you to feel safe"  
"So you pointed a sniper at my apartment?" She chuckled "Good work"  
"It wasn't loaded," He said, rather sheepishly "Anyway, I'm prepared to head out to the university. How do I look?" He asked, standing in front of the body length mirror in the hotel.   
"As always 47, you look wonderful," Diana said, her voice level.  He adjusted his tie and smirked into the mirror.  
  
  



	2. Meeting Mr. Walters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 47 goes to Edinburgh's old and strange university to meet with his first target, Mr. Walters.

Walking across the campus grounds to the main door of the university was a daunting task for 47 as he had to keep avoiding the various groups of students heading to their classes, and others who seemed to be messing about.   
"The target in question should be inside in his office, preparing for a class. His schedule is quite packed, so you may only have a couple of moments to meet with him" Diana's voice said over the comm "Of course since this is a very particular case, you're not just going to be able to piano wire him there and then on your first meeting. Hence the disguise.  You need to gain his trust, pretend, blend, make him think you are a friend, a trustworthy colleague."  
47 continued walking, making way to the door as a Frisbee zoomed over his head and knocked down a birds nest from a tree.  
"Hey, dude!" the man said "Can you go fetch that for me?" the girl next to him nudged him hard in the stomach "That's not a dude, that's a teacher." She said in a hushed voice  
"Are you sure?"  
"I heard there was a new teacher coming from out of town and he's going to work closely with Professor Walters" The name caught 47's attention and he changed his walking path to the tree instead, he bent over to pick up the Frisbee, holding it under his arm and then proceeding to pick up the birds nest and propping it back on a higher branch.  He walked to the two young adults and handed over the Frisbee "Here you go"  
"Hey, you know that if you touch the baby birds, the mother won't come back for them, right?" the girl asked incredulously  
"Birds have a limited sense of smell, they are incapable of detecting human scent on their young or on the eggs of their young.  If they can detect it, they do not react. Rarely, a bird will abandon it's nest if it thinks a dangerous predator has come to it, but they are reacting to visual stimuli, not olfactory."  
The man with the Frisbee whistled "Wow, you really are a teacher, aren't you?"  
"God, yeah I didn't know any of that" the girl chimed in  
"I heard you mention Professor Walters," 47 said, "I'm here to meet with him, any idea where he is?"  
"He's going to be in his office now, but he's got a class in like five minutes" the girl said, she stuck out her hand, indicating she wanted to introduce herself "I'm Rose Alway, I've been in Professor Walter's class for a while, so you and I will probably be seeing each other a lot, What's your name?"  
He took her hand and shook it "Tobias, Tobias Greaves"  
"Well it's nice to meet you, Mr. Greaves, I can take you to Professor Walter's office so you can wait for his next class to be out"  
"Lead the way," 47 said, adjusting his tie and following the girl into the building, leaving the longer haired man standing by himself with only a Frisbee for company.  
"This place is old," She said as they walked into the front door "Absolutely bonkers campus security too, there was an incident a couple of weeks back"  
47 looked around him at the impressive architecture and interior of the building. It had a large and imposing ceiling that reminded him of the church in Sapienza  
"I had heard of that"   
"Yeah someone threatened one of the teachers"  
"I thought it was another student"  
"Misinformation, they didn't want the press to know"  
47 tapped on the spot right beside his ear as he followed the girl through the large almost immaculate hallways.  
"My intel is almost never off," Diana said in a low voice through the comm unit "I'll review the files."  
47 coughed lightly in response and Rose turned around "Are you alright Mr. Greaves?"  
"Yes, sorry.  Something in my throat"  
She nodded "Could be dust. I know you can't see it but as I said, this place is old.  It's been smelling like mothballs for years, although... There's kind of an odd smell in the attic"  
"The school has an attic?" He asked her as they turned yet another corner, 47 momentarily wondered how many hallways this place had and if he would still be young when they reached the office.  
"It used to be a law building back when it was first conceived, they've built so many things around it and in addition to it. I have no idea when the attic was built in. But it's a recent thing"  
"And you said there's an odd smell?"  
"Could just be the smell of wood, but I dunno.  You ask a lot of questions, Mr. Greaves.  You fancy yourself some sort of detective?" Rose asked, her tone playful yet suspicious  
"I'm just here for a job. But I wanted to know what I was getting into"  
She laughed "Well, I wouldn't say this outside but Professor Walters is really strange, he has been for a while. Ever since one of his students died last year"  
47 yet again tapped beside his ear, Diana's voice came through sounding irritated "Damn it, I'm missing pieces of information here... They keep a tight lid. I'll have to move around the systems and get back to you"  
"Somebody died?" He asked as Rose stopped in front of a fancy looking dark wooden door, Rose turned to him "I'll tell you about it later, This is Mr. Walter's office."  
"Thank you for assisting me," 47 said, she nodded "I'm sure Mr. Walter's will inform you of anything else you need to know, staff housing, schedules and the like"  She knocked on the door lightly  
There was a loud metal crashing sound as if someone had thrown a pot across the room, a smaller bang and then the sound of someone huffing as they reached the door.  When the door opened an older looking man appeared. He was sporting a gray beard and a short slicked back grey hairstyle with thick brown-rimmed glasses and crease lines in his forehead from stress and worry. "Ah, Hello Rose." He said "This must be our new addition to the Edinburgh family"  
She nodded "This is Mr. Greaves" She offered, 47 waited for the man to invite him inside the office.  
He looked over him "You're a bit on the young side" Walters said, he arched his eyebrow "Where do you come from?"  
"From around here," 47 answered  
"Don't look it" The man assessed "You've got a weird little accent too. I don't like it"  
Rose scratched the back of her head awkwardly and coughed "I've best be getting back... Preparations for classes and all" She said, backing away before anyone could say another word.  
In his ear, he heard Diana chuckle "I think she might have undersold how weird this man actually is. He seems a bit off his rocker"  
"I'm originally from Romania, Mr. Walters, Sir."  
The man's facial features softened and he shook himself "I'm so sorry, I'm being quite rude on first meeting. I didn't get enough sleep last night and I am just not myself without my morning tea."  
"It is alright, Sir"  
The man motioned for him to come inside "Have a seat, and enough of all this formal 'Sir', Call me Tristan. We're going to be seeing a lot of each other"  
"I presume not as much as you think" 47 answered, taking a seat in front of the desk "This isn't a permanent job," He said  
"Yes yes, I know" Walters sat behind his desk, 47 looked around at the state of the office, it was littered with papers and a candle holder was smashed on the floor, covering the carpet in thick wax "But you'll still need a place to sleep. Don't tell me you got a hotel around here"  
"I did"  
Walters shook his head "We have accommodations right here on campus, Where would you rather stay..." He said, looking over some papers on his desk "The Green Lodge is empty, the last person we had visit has left, maybe you'd like that. Very simplistic, small. Like houses in Romania"  
"There are also bigger houses in Romania," He said with his hands folded in his lap. His attention turned to the various knick-knacks the man had set among the shelves around his office, figurines and other trinkets, things 47 could see no practical use for.  
"I know, I've been before," Walters said, scanning over the paper "Bit hot in the summer. I stayed in a hotel in Bucharest for three weeks"  
"Business, I presume?"  
"It was more about pleasure. I had a pen-pal that I had fallen in love with. A story as old as time, you love a woman, you can't be with a woman because she lives in Romania, so you go to Romania and then she dumps you."  
Diana chimed in "I don't think I remember that tale" her voice was light as if she were holding back a laugh  
"But it's a beautiful place" Walters continued in a more peppy tone than before "Which part are you from?"  
"I.." He cleared his throat "I lived in a secluded place, It was in Satu Mare"  
Walter's eyes widened "That's the place with that creepy Asylum!" He said, "I remember hearing about that."  
"Asylum?" 47 asked, feeling a chill on the back of his neck as if there were a draft somewhere.   
"Hospital, I don't know. It seemed like there was something going on in there. I remember seeing it when I was traveling through Satu Mare. Gave me the creeps. You know anything about it?" He asked, leaning over the table "Sorry, I'm a bit of a history buff which is odd considering I'm the English teacher but I'm really into the unknown and supernatural. Bit of mystery in that old Asylum"  
47 tapped on his ear under the guise of scratching it "I don't" He lied "I don't actually think I ever saw it before"  
"But you must have heard the rumors, right? That there were kids up there? I heard they kept them locked up"  
47 looked around the room, He was feeling rather uncomfortable and was trying to find something to change the subject to but could find nothing that he felt would hold the man's attention.  
He coughed "Like prisoners?"  
"Yes, like prisoners... I talked to some of the locals and they said there was a secret lab, they did like.. experiments on kids. Wonder what kind of experiments"  
"Presumably if you are doing experiments on children, none of them are good" 47 offered, Walters nodded and was just about to speak up again when suddenly the fire alarm sounded throughout the building. Walters stood up   
"Shit," He said "That'd be the alarm. We better head out to the front of campus and ride this out"  
"Do you think there's a fire?" 47 asked as he rose from his chair  
"Probably not, the damn thing has been on the fritz for weeks, best to come with me though"  He led him back through the long corridors back to the front entrance where everyone was gathered, huddled together and looking frazzled. 47 found a welcome opportunity to separate himself from Walters, making his way over to a large oak tree. "Diana, what did you do?"  
"I located the contact sheet for the staff and patched myself through to her work line, and then I bribed her to pull the fire alarm."  
"You're very devious," He said, "I couldn't bear another moment of that man's company."  
"How was I supposed to know he'd be the one person in Edinburgh who is obsessed with local Romanian mysteries? I mean what exactly are the odds here?"  
"Very slim"  
"You should have said you were from somewhere else" She teased "Now he's going to want to talk about Romania every chance he gets"  
"Pull the fire alarm every time he gets near me"  
"What is this? Am I detecting a hint of dislike, 47? I thought you didn't form any personal opinions of the targets"  
"I don't. He is simply a target."  
"Remember, you have to get close to him, make him think you're his friend. You'll have to do a bit of acting for that one"  
"I do know how to be a friend, Diana"  
"Oh that is right, you've had two friends." She said teasingly "One of them was kidnapped and one of them you shot"  
"Very humorous"  
"I'm sorry, I'm being a bit cheeky, aren't I?"  
47 didn't answer, instead, he watched the crowd of people, students and teachers alike on the campus grounds. There were a lot of people here, it was going to be quite difficult to get Walter's completely isolated when the time came to complete the contract. The man had a full class, people who constantly came in and out of his office and additional duties around the campus.  
"Lot of people" Diana mused "This is going to be quite difficult, isn't it?"  
"Nothing I can't handle"  
"Of course, and I think finding out more information from the other staff would be a good idea as well."  
"This is as good an opportunity as any other, where is the second target?"  
"Hm," Diana said, "She would be..." He heard typing sounds as Diana pulled up information "She would be at her apartments, the building isn't far from here if you want to check it out later"  
"Send me the information and I'll look it over when I've settled down"  
"Will do, and 47?"  
"Yes, Diana?"  
"I quite like your accent," She said, an unreadable tone to her voice.  
  



	3. Target Down, Next Up....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forty-seven takes down one target and struggles to gain intel on another while trying to keep his promise to a woman he met on the street.

47 arrived at the coffee shop located next to the Spectra building and pulled the keys out of the car. "I'm at the shop, but I'm not a coffee drinker," He said  
Diana chuckled "You don't have to drink it, just pretend. You're a great actor"  
He headed up the path to the shop and pushed open the door, stepping into a dimly lit coffee shop. He saw a variety of people sitting inside, some alone sipping on their coffee while going through email on their phones, some with friends or lovers having a moment before returning to work.   
"That woman up by the front, get closer to her, she might be who we're looking for," Diana said, he obliged and leaned next to the woman.  "Excuse me," He said, gently tapping her on the shoulder  
The woman whipped around in surprise. Her eyes appeared to be green but 47 could tell she was wearing contacts in an attempt to conceal her identity   
"Yes, Sir, is there a problem?" She spoke with a faked London accent  
"No problem, I was just wondering.... are you the woman who owns Spectra?"   
She nodded and smiled "Oh yes, yes I do! Are you interested in art?"  
"Absolutely. I fancy myself a bit of an art critic" He said and turned his attention to the barista "I'll have a regular with two sugars"   
"Cream?" The man asked  
"No cream"   
"Alright sir, we'll have that out for you in a minute"   
"What did you say your name was?" She asked, pushing the stirrer around in her coffee cup and watching the coffee and cream separate  
"I didn't," He said, reaching out his hand to shake hers "I'm Tobias Greaves" She took his hand  
"I'm Nora Banks, but I think you already knew that... say would you like to come over to my gallery? It's closed right now for renovations but I'd love to hear your ideas on the pieces I've been thinking about putting up"  
"Of course, just let me pay for my coffee," He said, watching as Banks rose from the chair   
"I'll just be next door waiting," She told him cheerfully and walked through the shop to the door.   
He placed a twenty on the bar and left the establishment before the barista even came out with his coffee, heading out the front and carefully slipping into the alley between the shop and Spectra.   
"That was easy," Diana remarked  
"Yes, simple, efficient, I can get this done and head back to the cottage"  
"Are you tired or something?" Diana joked  
"No" He checked the inner lining of his pockets for the lethal serum he had taken with him "Should I use this?"  
"I don't know, you're the professional"  
"Well, you said it could be made to look like an accident. So I'll stick with that"  
"Why are you rushing this, 47?"  
"I'm not rushing this, Diana. I am merely wanting to get it over with so I can get out of here and focus on the more important job"  
"Fine, you're the professional," She said again, her voice sounded as irritated as it did when he had asked her if she had feelings for him the previous night.   
He thought for a moment on asking if she was alright, but he had a job to do. He placed the serum back in the inside pocket.  
"Just in case," He said, Diana replied with a wordless noise, he was almost certain of it now, she was angry with him again. What had he done?  
He stepped out of the alley and walked to the front stairs of Spectra, Banks opened the door for him and smiled "Welcome to Spectra. Do you like it?" She gave him a little smile, he noted that one of her teeth was crooked and he nodded "It's... majestic"   
Diana scoffed again in his ear  
"You should see it at its splendor, When I'm finished, everything here will be glittering," Nora said  
He saw an opportunity here, this would be an easy way to get the woman isolated and away from the windows where passersby could see her. He'd take her out before anyone noticed "I wasn't talking about the galley" He said, she looked back at him, surprised   
"Oh," She giggled "Well... I" Her face flushed but she recovered quickly.   
"You're not from around here, are you?" She asked  
"I'm on holiday" He lied, he thought it was better Banks didn't know he was working at the school. Not that it mattered in the long run.  He needed to push this forward if he wanted to get to his fake teacher's aide job before Walters realized he was running late.  
"Do you like it around here?" She asked the echo of her shoes bounced off the walls of the empty gallery, he looked around at some of the pieces.  
"Gaudy artwork," Diana remarked, "Some of these pieces are absolute rubbish" 47 tried not to smirk.  
"I do, it's a nice secluded part of town" He scanned the area for isolation, anything he could lure her to, any type of accident...  
"Oh, you like seclusion?" She asked, turning around to face him "Come with me, I have someplace you might really like in the back"  
"Oh, unbelievable" Diana scoffed "Is she really hitting on you?"   
47 cleared his throat "Miss Banks, I... am I mistaken here or are you..." Her eyes went wide  
"Oh.. Oh I'm so sorry, you're not interested... I shouldn't have been so presumptuous" She shook herself  
"No no, that's not it," He said "I just want to make sure we're both on the same page here. Are you flirting with me?"  
She blushed again "Well, you are quite an attractive man" She admitted, "I almost lost my breath when I saw you."  
He heard yet another scoff in his ear from Diana as he took the woman's hand and let her lead him to the back rooms.  While everything in the front had been bright and cheery, the hallway leading to the back was dark, grey and windowless.   
There was barely any light at all and he almost tripped over a painting sat up against the wall.  Banks stopped and sharply inhaled "Oh, my god..." She said "Shit, not now.. not now"  
"What's wrong?" He asked as she pulled her hand away  
"There's somebody... who, there's somebody who has something against me, I don't know who it is but they've sent people to my gallery every single day for a month, nobody comes here because I've made it clear it's closed... But these people... I think they are trying to kill me."  
"Nora Banks?" a voice came from the front "Are you here?"  
Nora grasped 47's hand "Help me," she said as the footsteps drew closer, she pulled him towards her and locked him into an unexpected kiss, he reached into his pocket as he heard the footsteps fading and retrieved the injector, as the woman was distracted by kissing him. He discreetly injected the needle into her stomach, he placed the empty syringe back in his pocket and pulled away.  
"I'm sorry," She said, "I didn't mean to..." Her eyes glazed over and she swayed on the spot "I feel a little weird... What did you do to me?"  Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening and she toppled over "How...."  
In just an instant, she was dead, her eyes rolled up into her head and her body went limp, 47 looked around and spotted a bottle of pills on the shelf "You think she could have overdosed on these?" He asked   
Diana didn't answer. He checked the back of the pills, the warnings to not take too many under risk of seizures. He opened up the bottle and spilled them around the woman. Slipping out of the back room and exiting the shop as stealthy as he could.  
"Target down," He said, "I'm heading to the second location now to do recon on Walters." He got back into his car which he had parked in front of the coffee shop. Diana still didn't answer.  
"Diana?" He asked, "Is the connection bad?"  
"No the connection is fine, 47." Diana finally responded, her voice sounded odd.  
"I confirmed the target kill"  
"Yes, I saw"  
"Then why didn't you say anything?"  
"I thought that we both agreed that an accident would have been the best way to go," She remarked, her tone was rather stiff  
"She backed me into a corner, literally. I had no choice but to improvise" He started the car and headed to the school. Was Diana actually angry with him for how he took down a target? She had never in all of their years of working together disapproved of how he had done something.  
"Very nice improvisational skills, 47." She said, he didn't get the same sense of happiness that she usually had when praising his work, what was different this time? He thought... He isolated the target, he killed the target... he was forced to kiss the target.  
Oh. He thought. It must have been the kiss... But why would Diana be angry about that?  
"Is this because I kissed that woman?" He asked, "I didn't enjoy it."   
Diana didn't say anything.  
"Why would I have an issue with that?" Diana asked after several silent moments  
"I don't know, Diana, I was wondering the same thing myself" He focused on the road as he drove down several side streets to get to the University.  
"47, it looks like you're on your own for a while. I have personal things to attend to" She said  
"Excuse me?" He asked "You can't just leave during an assignment. What if I need Intel?"  
"Get it from someone else, there are a whole host of other handlers at the ICA who would be more than happy to help you" Her voice was filled to the brim with emotions that were threatening to spill out.  
"Diana," He said "If I recall, you are a better kisser"  
She scoffed "Have fun investigating Walters, try not to make out with him."  The com went silent, replaced with the crackling of dead air.  He tapped it "Diana?"  He sighed and pushed his head back against the driver's seat as he stopped in front of the school.  
  
* * * *  
  
"What took you so long?" Walters asked in a gruff voice as 47 entered the man's office "I wanted to go over my class plan with you so you'll know what you're getting into" He was very obviously hungover and had a cool rag draped across his forehead  
"I'm sorry, I was held up in traffic" He took a seat and looked at the rather thick folder in front of him "Is this your lesson plan?"   
Walters nodded "For the whole semester, at least" He groaned as he leaned forward, dropping the rag into his hand and tossing it aside  
"Are you alright, Professor?"   
The man swallowed hard "I.. I uh, think I need to find a restroom, Personal.. business to attend to. Make sure anyone coming to look for me knows I'm busy" He rose from the chair, gently swaying as though he had never stopped drinking and he held his stomach as he walked slowly out of the room  
47 tapped on the comm in his ear "Hello?" He said  
"Yes, Hello Agent 47, I am Colleen and I will be your interim handler until Miss Burnwood returns," She said, her voice was cheerful and she had a midwestern accent  
"Where did she go?"  
"Personal matters, I would assume. She simply stormed off earlier and said she'd be back soon, but no matter. I have her target intel, location information and more right in front of me. I can also see you, Professor Walters seems to have a hidden camera in his office" She said "I suggest while he's out you go through his files, see if he's hiding anything"   
"He has a camera?" 47 looked around "Where?"   
"It's in the right-hand corner, it's inside that gaudy looking gargoyle statue,"  She said  
47 rose from the chair and looked to the top of one of the shelves until he spotted the gargoyle, he grabbed it from its perch and took a lock-pick out of his pocket, wedging it between the tiny camera embedded into the eye. He disconnected a wire coming from the back and shoved the eye back in, replacing it on the shelf.  
"You're very efficient," Colleen said "No wonder they say you're the best the ICA has"  
47 coughed slightly "I appreciate the intel about Professor Walter's camera, but I think I can take it from here"  
"If that's what you wish," She said "Contact us if you need anything"  
he heard the click that indicated her disconnect from the audio communication channels and he felt relieved.   
He didn't know any other handlers from the ICA and he didn't wish to. Diana was the only one who provided him with the information he needed, she was the only one who understood and supported his meticulous methods, and she was the only one he could consider a friend.  
He felt irritated, He wanted to look around Walter's office but he had no idea when the man would be returning, this was usually something Diana would help with. He grumbled, doing this without her intel would prove to be annoying, but he's dealt with worse situations.  He walked around to the front of Walter's desk and opened the drawers, finding nothing except old candy wrappers and a photo with writing on the back "Niece Ella"   
He opened the man's laptop, it was on the password screen and he froze. What would Walter's have as his password? He cursed Diana under his breath for bailing out on him and looked around.   
Password, password he thought.  
He reluctantly cleared his throat and spoke aloud "Uh, hello? Is Colleen still there?"  
it took a moment but the click notified him that someone at least heard his request "Colleen stepped out, this is Aaron. What do you need, Agent 47?"  
"Professor Walters has his laptop password locked, do you know any way I could get in?"  
"Hmm, let me see. Just going...through Burnwood's files here." 47 flinched at hearing her name, how could she just abandon him like this right in the middle of a contract?  
"Yes, she has something here. Password should be either 9Ella564LillyPad or EdinburghRoad857, He...doesn't seem to be very keen on a password not able to be cracked. Why don't you try one and tell if it works" Aaron said  
"Will do" 47 replied, typing in the first password, it let him through automatically "Password confirmed, thank Miss Burnwood for me if you see her"  
Aaron chuckled "I will," He said.    
47 was going through the files on Walter's computer when he heard a conversation between Aaron and somebody else at the ICA, He suspected the man forgot to cut the audio after helping him but he decided to stay quiet.  
"Yep, looks like they had some kind of fight," Aaron's voice said, someone else chuckled, a woman   
"I knew it, I knew they were involved. You owe me 40$" Her voice said with glee  
"Hey, I never agreed to that bet. It's a sure thing anyway, everyone knows about Burnwood and her Agent" He said, they both laughed again.  
"They're not exactly secretive about it, have you heard the way she flirts with him?  It's bordering on bedroom erotic"  
47 decided to break up their little chat by making them aware of his continued presence on the com.  
He cleared his throat "I can hear everything you two are saying."  He said, deadpan.  Aaron swore under his breath and scrambled for the headset "I... I am so sorry Agent 47, I didn't... I... Please don't tell Miss Burnwood, she could get me fired" He said, a pleading tone in his voice.  
"Don't talk about people behind their backs and you won't have to worry about that, now please turn off the audio connection"  
"Yes Sir, anything, Anything you say, Sir." The man sounded on the verge of tears, while the girl was laughing at him, the audio cut off and 47 turned his attention back to the laptop. He was just about to open the man's emails when he heard footsteps coming up the hall.    
He quickly unplugged the laptop and plugged it back in to close what he had been doing and get it back to its login page. He shut the laptop and crossed back over to his chair, resting his hands in his lap and breathing calmly.   If there was one thing he was good at, it was remaining cool and collected in situations where he could potentially get caught, he had been trained for this as a child.  Ort-Meyer would occasionally put him through grueling psychological tests to make sure of his calm and collected state.  
The door opened and Walters came through, still clutching his stomach "I tell you, Whiskey is not a fun drink... Well" He chuckled as he hobbled over to his desk "I mean it's fun while you're drinking it"  
"Unless you are drinking it because you are depressed" 47 offered  
Walters howled with laughter "Yeah, you're sure right my boy. But what would you know about any of that?"  
47's thoughts turned to the nights he spent in that run down apartment in Chicago, staying up all night and downing as much alcohol as he could take, occasionally mixing them with pain pills to get as high as possible to drown out the agony of losing Diana.   
"Nothing, of course, I was speaking metaphorically"  
"Well, my boy. I hope you never have to feel the pang of the next day hangover"  
47 tapped his fingers against the legs of his trousers, The man was obnoxiously hungover and still smelled strongly of alcohol, and his insistence on calling him "my boy" was grating on 47's nerves in a way he didn't think possible. Ort-Meyer used to refer to him as such, it was just as annoying now that it was back when he was a teenager.  
"So, lesson plan?" 47 said  
"Yes, I don't have a class today, I've canceled them all because I'm batshit hungover as you can see. I'm about to step out for a durry, but you can take these files back to your cottage and have a go"  
"I just got here, are you saying I'm to leave?" he asked, "And durry is Australian slang"  
The man pulled a packet of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket "Yes, but saying fag makes me feel a bit homophobic, and yes I am saying you can leave. You don't have to, you can traipse around campus and meet some of the other staff if you wish. I'm going to smoke off this hangover and get a cab home or something"  
47 rose from the chair and turned to leave "Have fun with your 'durry', Sir"   
He left the office before Walters could respond and decided he would return back to the cottage for now with the large file he was given.    
He carried it under his arm and got into his car, heading back to the cottage and the crying woman he had let in earlier that morning.  
  
* * * *   
  
When he stepped through the front door of the small cottage, he dropped the file onto a nearby table and saw the woman sitting on the couch, trying to get a signal on her phone.  
"Oh hello," She said, her eyes were still puffed up from crying but she seemed to have had a shower "I used your shower... I hope you don't mind"  
He didn't respond, though he walked to the fridge and retrieved a can of soda "Do you want something to drink?" He asked  
"I wouldn't want to put you out or anything"  
"It's not a big deal," He said, leaning against the open fridge and waiting for a response, she nodded and he handed her a root beer.  
"Thanks, Sir. You've been incredibly kind"  
He nodded "I need to make a call." He said so as not to be rude, he pulled out his cell phone to dial Diana's number, it rang for a while and then went straight to her voicemail inbox   
"Hello, Diana, this is..." He cleared his throat "Tobias, I didn't catch you back at work and I'm wondering where you are.  Please call me back" He hit the button to deliver the message and clicked off his phone, putting it on the table with the large lesson plan.  
"You're name is... Tobias?" The woman on the couch asked "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to eavesdrop but, I  just realized I never introduced myself.  I'm Grais Wright"  
"I'm Tobias Greaves," He said  
The woman smiled "It's nice to meet you, I have a little brother named Tobias, We call him Toby"  
"Nobody calls me that," He said, taking a seat at the table and opening up the large file, looking through Walter's lesson plan  
"What's with all the guns you have?" She asked  
"I'm a collector" He replied, "I thought I told you not to go through my things"  
"I'm sorry, It's just that I'm really nosy, It's a big problem."  
"It seems like you need to seek counseling for it," He said, deadpan and without looking at her  
"I do" She admitted, getting up from the couch and coming over to watch him read through the papers, he felt her eyes burning holes through the top of his head and he shut the files.  
"Is there something you need?"  
"I was just wondering, I noticed this earlier but... Your eyes, are you wearing contacts or are they actually that color?"  
"I don't wear contacts" He answered, which was a bit of a lie as he did wear contacts with micro cameras implanted into them so that Diana could oversee him during the missions.  He felt a pang of irritation at the thought of Diana.   
"Oh, sorry. Well your eyes are really nice" She said, a strange lilt to her voice, he remembered hours earlier when Nora Banks spoke to him in a similar tone and looked up at her   
"I'm not interested," He said  
"Excuse me?"  
"I'm... I'm aware that you are flirting with me, and I am not interested"  
He tried to turn his attention back to the papers but she spoke again "I wasn't trying to flirt with you, Mr. Greaves. I was just...complementing you"  
"In my experience, a complement leads to flirtatious actions, such as staring and wanting to touch another person."  
She laughed "You don't seem to have a lot of experience with...flirting" She said "it doesn't always have to lead somewhere, sometimes you just want to compliment somebody. Haven't you ever wanted to say someone looked nice without any intention of wanting to get them in the sack?"  
"I.. yes?" He answered, confused "I don't often compliment people"  
"I can tell," She said, "You, this might be a bit personal but uh, have you ever even... you know..."  
He thought for a moment, she was alluding to sexual activity, wasn't she? He shook himself, he didn't think it was appropriate for a stranger to be asking these sorts of questions.  
She let out a chuckle "I'm sorry Mr. Greaves, but I've been around the block a couple times and I know when guys are... you know"  
Was that supposed to be some sort of code word that he was meant to understand? He arched an eyebrow and tried to focus on the lesson plan, she leaned in and whispered into his ear "I'm asking about sex, by the way."  
He looked up at her with a glare "I'm sure that's none of your business"  
She nodded and pulled away "Of course, and there's nothing to be ashamed of about being a virgin. I know that remaining chaste in a world so emphasized on sexuality is a really difficult thing. So, what are you like a monk or something?"   
"Something like that"  
"I cannot believe it, you're really a virgin? Have you ever kissed a woman?"  
He nodded "Yes" He answered, he didn't know why he was humoring this woman's discussion, and he didn't know why it was so exciting for her to talk about it.  
"Oh, was it that.. girl you just left a message for? Diane?"  
"Diana, and no... I mean" He cleared his throat "Yes, but it wasn't like that"  
"Oh, so you kiss a lot of your co-workers?" She asked sarcastically  
He thought about the last time he has kissed Diana, it was when the pair of them were in Rome stuck in a hotel room, overheated and drunk off wine from the mini bar. They had spent hours in that room together, spending time together, brushing up against each other, kissing gently and then less gently... He missed the smell of her hair and the sound of her laugh.    
He shut the file again and stood from the table "I really wish to stop discussing this, I invited you into my cottage because you were out of sorts, but if you will, please find another place to go."  
"Oh, Mr. Greaves, I'm sorry," She said earnestly "I'm just a really open person and I... I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to pry or be forceful.  It's your life, and I shouldn't have... I mean I just met you so... You must think I'm absolutely crazy"  
He shook his head "If I were to think you were crazy, I would have made the assumption when you told me you were being haunted by a ghost"  
She nodded "Oh yeah.. right... " She rubbed her hands against her arms uncomfortably "Uh, you believe me, right? Because...some of the shit I've seen and been through, It's been so tough and when you say you've seen a ghost, nobody believes you"  
He thought about the woman he saw earlier, driving her car straight off a cliff. Was she... could she have been an apparition?  He was no stranger to odd occurrences, back when he was taking out the terrorist, and one of his five genetic fathers, Frantz Fuchs.  He had seen a ghost in the halls of the hotel, at first it wasn't quite obvious what he was seeing, but it was something that stuck with him.   
Diana, of course, didn't believe that he truly saw a ghost and that it must have been a trick of the light or someone fooling around with a projector.  He remembered that she made jokes about it for a while after the hit.  
"I've.. seen ghosts before" He admitted, heading to the fridge and taking out another soda, he opened it and poured it out into a cup. He didn't like drinking out of cans.  
"Oh, care to elaborate?" She asked, taking a seat back on the couch, he sat in the chair across from her   
"No, I'd rather hear your story. What happened?"  
"It's a really long story" She looked down "But it starts with my brother... Toby" She had a bitter tone to her voice, 47 listened to her story for the better part of half an hour, she had spent her childhood in a beat up home out in a secluded area. Her father had grown distant and depressed "One day" She said "He just... came home with a shotgun and we thought it was for us, but it was.. for him.. and" she started to cry.   
47 never was good at comforting people, because he never had to, it wasn't in his job description. He sat there awkwardly across from her as she cried "I loved my father, but that man was sick, and he wouldn't get help"  
"That must be an odd feeling..." He said, despite himself "Loving your father. I wouldn't know what that's like"  
She looked up at him with her tear streaked face "You have father issues?"  
"My 'father' abused me emotionally and physically. He used love as some sort of manipulation tactic, but I don't think he ever really felt love towards me"   
"That's awful," She said with a sudden inhale of breath "I'm so sorry to hear that, but isn't there a part of you that..."  
"When he died I was...conflicted" He admitted "I was conflicted over how I should have felt, how I should react, I actually ran away from my life... my job... I felt isolated"  
"I felt the same way when my father killed himself, I just.. he spent all of my childhood beating me and my siblings, and when he died I just... I wondered if there was ever any way I could forgive him, or if I was sick somehow for loving him"  She coughed a little "People always said that no matter how sick he was, he was my father... but how can you forgive some things?"  
"Sometimes you can't, and sometimes it's better if you don't. I never forgave my... father, and I never will. I am at peace with that.  The man was a monster" She nodded in agreement and they sat in silence for a moment before 47 spoke again.   
"Do you think some sort of dark shadow was brought over your family when your father shot himself?"  
"I think that my dad's spirit haunts me, but I don't think he's the one who has been tormenting me. I don't know who it is, but I've always had something following me around no matter where I've moved, and my house... is haunted"  
"I would like to check it out," He said "Your house"  
"There is no way in hell that you're going to me to step back into that house"  She shook her head  
"What if I call a priest?" He asked  
"You know a priest? What line of work are you in again?"  
"I'm friendly with the church"  
"I wouldn't have considered you for a Catholic"  
"I'm not"  
"Alright, so you call this priest and... maybe I'll go back into my house and show you around."  
"I'll see what I can do" He answered, he got up to look at his phone, still on the table.    
No messages, he dialed Diana again  
"Hello again, this is Tobias and you aren't answering the phone. I assume you're angry with me and I can't understand why because this is my job and this isn't the first time I have done this. You know that" He cleared his throat "I would like to have you back, Diana. Call me" He delivered the message and hung up. Turning back to Grais, she had a smirk on her face "Is Diana your girlfriend or something? That's the third time you've left a message for her"  
"She's a co-worker like I said"  
Grais nodded "Oh, okay. I'm sure that's all there is to that" Her tone was sarcastic.   
"I'll put you up in a hotel for tonight," 47 said "I will call around for the priest in the morning and see if he can come to visit your home"  
She yawned and looked out the window "It's getting to be evening, better book a room quick" She said, he grabbed his phone and made the call  
  
* * * *  
  
After he made the call for her to be driven off to a hotel room, he checked his phone once more for any messages from Diana, there were none, and now without Grais for company, he was completely alone in his little cottage.  After a while, he started to realize he was getting hungry, and thought of making food, but didn't want to move off the comfort of the couch.   
He heard rain start pattering against the window as he turned the television on. It was mid-evening and storm clouds were rolling in, dark clouds promising or threatening to rain all night.  He thought he heard a knock on the door but he ignored it.   
It became louder and he realized that it was, in fact, a knock, who would be knocking? Maybe it was Grais, coming to realize she's forgotten her phone or some such.  He crossed over to the door and opened it, Diana was standing there soaked from head to toe.  
"It's...raining out there," he said, deadpan   
She shoved him away with wet hands and crossed into the cottage "I know" She said  
"Are you going to explain why you disappeared for several hours and show up in Edinburgh?" He asked as she made her way to the couch and took off her shoes, letting water drip everywhere "If you wanted to be out in the field, you could have just told me"  
She said nothing in response, shivering slightly in the cooler air of the cottage, 47 pulled off the blazer he was wearing and placed it around her gently "I'll check if there's a clean towel in the bathroom" He said, quickly dipping in and out of the bathroom and grabbing one of the towels Grais didn't throw on the floor.  He handed it to Diana and watched as she dried her face, pulling her hair out of its bun and letting it fall across his blazer, soaking through the fabric. He sat beside her.  
"Are you okay?" He asked gently, reaching out for her hand, her expression softened and she took his hand in hers.  
"I am now," She said, clearing her throat "You uh... you look nice"  
"I look the same as I always do"  
"Oh bloody hell" Diana groaned and threw the towel onto the floor, she grasped her hand around his tie and used it to pull him closer to her as she laid back on the couch. He caressed her cheek softly and she swatted it away "Stop it" She said as if reprimanding a cat trying to paw at her food.  
"Why do you have to always be so..gentle?"  
He raised an eyebrow "I.. don't understand"  
"It wouldn't be the worst thing if you were a little rough with me," She said, her cheeks flushing  
"Rough?" He asked, still gently caressing his hand against her skin. She rolled her eyes and pushed him down onto the opposite side of the couch so that she was on top of him "You infuriate me"  
He coughed as the air was pushed out of him by the force of her shove and the pressure of her on top of him "I'm not trying to infuriate you, Diana. I rather prefer when you are happy"  
Yet again, she rolled her eyes "Shut up" She demanded, leaning in to kiss him as forcefully as she could muster, her hands grasping for leverage, she dug her fingernails into his hips as she hungrily pressed her lips against his. It was as if she were trying to suck all the air out of his body through his mouth.  He pushed her away gently and gasped for air   
"Diana, what are you doing?"  
"What does it look like I'm doing, 47?"  
"This isn't..." He started  
"What? Appropriate? What about all the stuff we did in Rome?"  
"That is different," He said, sitting up "We were under the influence of both wine and the summer heat. This is unprofessional, Diana, and I think you know that, as a matter of fact. I know you know that because you keep reprimanding me every time I bring it up"   
She scoffed "Forty-seven, don't try to pretend you don't have some semblance of human feelings for me"  
He watched her, she looked angry and her hair was still dripping all over the couch "I admit that I do have feelings for you, but I do not know how to categorize them. And I know that acting on them is risky, ill-advised..."  
Diana gave him a devious smile "Forbidden"  
He couldn't help but smirk as he pulled her closer to him, her head rested against his chest and the strong scent of cocoa butter and lavender from her hair was enough to make him dizzy. He felt nervous and relaxed at the same time, a common effect of being near her.  
"Why did you come here?" He asked, his voice soft and low  
"I think we both know" She answered just as soft   
"So" She sat back up straight "What have I missed?"  
"A girl I don't know asked me about my sex life, I have to call a priest and I almost got into Walter's files but he was really drunk and told me to go home"  
Diana laughed and threw her hair back "You're going to have to explain some of those things to me, forty-seven"  
"Which ones?" He asked, his tone was serious but Diana playfully smacked him on the arm  
"Let's start with the one about your sex life"  
47 pondered on this for a moment "Are you sure you won't get jealous?"   
She snorted "Jealous?"  
"That is what that was, this morning... was it not?"  He asked "You were jealous because I kissed the target. I didn't have a choice."    
Diana sighed and bit her lip as if she were trying to restrain from saying what she wanted to say  
"I was...not jealous" She swallowed  
"Then why did you bail on your post and come here to see me, Unless of course, you are here for the Whiskey"  
"Where did you learn your sarcasm from?" She laughed  
"I read it in a book Ort-Meyer gave me when I was seven." 47 answered, his voice as deadpan as usual. "I'm not sure he knew what the book was about because it was about a boy who lied for a living and escaped an abusive household but nobody believed he was in danger because he was always a liar"  
"Maybe he knew, maybe he was just ...calling you a liar" She offered  
"He did think so, I always told him I was going to get out of there" he looked down, Diana brushed her finger against his cheek  
"You're not there anymore, his torment is over"  
"Maybe, but I do live with it. Diana. And it isn't a ghost, but it does haunt me"  
Diana smiled sadly "Don't worry, 47. I'm here. I'll always be here for you" He thought her words were a little odd considering she had just left him for hours at a time, ignoring all of his attempts to contact her, but the sentiment was enough.  
"So, how do you know about jealousy?"  
"I'm a human, not a robot"  
"But have you ever felt it?"  She asked, taking the towel off the floor and folding it neatly against the arm of the couch  
"I remember this one time at the Asylum, a boy, he had something that I wanted, it was a toy, I believe... Ort-Meyer knew that I wanted this toy because I had bothered him about it many times, he made sure that I was watching when he gave it to the other boy."  
"Oh my goodness, that's horrible."  
"I felt jealousy for that, and I suppose for the people who lived normal lives... I may have been young but I knew that I wasn't normal, where I came from wasn't normal... I remember being jealous of the guards because at the end of the day they got to go home to a family, a home... to eat real food, not the slop they gave us"  
"Sounds a lot like a prison"  
"It was," He said softly "We each had a room, small, nothing but a bed... I was bad once, so the guards took away my bed and I slept on the floor for months"  
"How old were you?"  
"Young, I never paid much attention. Many of the years spent at the Asylum blend together in my memories... I was likely seven. Ort-Meyer took notes on me, my personality and my skills from each age"  
Diana pulled him into a tight hug, squeezing her arms around him "47, I am so sorry you had to go through all of that. Those men were pure evil."  
He fell into her embrace and accepted the feeling of her against his body, resting his head against her shoulder.  He felt at peace.  
  



End file.
